Bumper



Och 27 .1925- w. E. DUNSTON BUMPER Filed July 26- 1922 Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

I UNITED STATES 1,558,797 PATENT orrice.

WAYNE E. DUNSTON, OF KAIJAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNCB' TO THE ,C. G. SPRING dc BUMPER COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BUMPER.

Application filed July 26,1922. Serial No. 577,529.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAYNE E. DUNSTON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and 5 State of 'Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bumpers, of which the following is .a full clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to bumpers, and has for its general object to provide a bumper the parts of which may be conveniently assembled and disassembled and which, when so assembled, will constitute a standlng all of the ordinary incidents of use. Further and more limitedobjects of the invention'will appear hereinafter and will be realized in and through the construcand through the combln-ations of elements appearing in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, Fig. represents a plan view of my bumper, showing ,its mode of attachment to the front ends of the side members of an automobile; Fig. 2 afront elevation thereof; Fig. 3 a horizontal sectional view. through one of the ends of the bumper, the bumper plates being shown in elevation; Fig. 4 a vertical sectional view through the central portion of one of such bumper ends; and Fi 5a sectional View corresponding to the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Describing by reference characterswthe various parts illustrated herein, 1 denotes the front ends of the side members of an automobile or similar vehicle. Secured to the front ends of these members, as'by means of clamps 2 which are pivotally connected to such ends, (as-indicated at- 3), is the rear bar 4 of my bumper. This bar is preferably in the form of a spring plate and is preferably straight or uncambered throughout its length. -Cooperating with the bar'or plate 4 and forming the front or impact-receiving portion of. t a spring'plate 5, the last mentioned'plate being substantially parallel with the plate 4 throughout themajor rtion of its length,

stron and efiicient bumper, capable of withtion and arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings forming part hereof and in e bumper, is:

' erally at 6, and being approximately of .V'

shape in plan view. The inner widened end of each cap is provided with slots '7 and 8 for the reception of the cooperating ends 4 and 5 respectively, of the front and rear plates of thebumper. A central web 9 connects the top and bottom walls of the. cap

and the slots 7 and 8 are provided between .opposite sides of said web and the front and rear walls of the cap. The front wall 6 of the cap is provided with an inwardly or rearwardly projecting rib 6 at-the inner end thereof and with a rib 6 near the outer end'thereof, the ribs 6 forming seats for the cooperating end 5 of the front or'impact plate of the bumper. The rear wall of each cap is provided with similar for- ;wardly projecting ribs 6 and 6', forming seats for the cooperating end 4 of the rear plate. In addition, the front wall of each cap isprovided with a nib or dowel 6 and the rear wall with a corresponding nib or dowel 6?, the said dowels being located inwardly from the ribs 6 and 6, respectively and each being adapted to enter a hole 5 aud t", provided near the ends of the front and rear lates 5 and 4, respectively. The

caps are rmly and detachably connected to the ends of their platesor bars and the said plates 'or bars are connected at their ends-by means of wedge blocks 10, one block beingmounted in each cap and having oppositely tapered faces adapted to engage the front and the rear face of the rear and front plates, respectively, For the purpose of so operating the wedge blocks, each is provided with a recess 10*constituting a seat for the end of a screw bolt 11 which is threaded intothe web 9 of each cap. Each bolt is provided with an operat-' ing head 11 and with a lock nut 11". By rotating each bolt 11- in-the appropriate direction, the wedge block cooperating therewith will be forced outwardly between the ends 4? and 5 of the cooperating spring plates, wedging the same apart with the nibs or dowels 6 and 6 entering the 00- operating holes 5 and 4:", respectively, and tending to spring forwardly the ortion of the front bar or plate between t e ribs 6 and6 andto spring rearwardly the portion of the rear bar or plate between the 'ribs and 6'. This results in securely interloc ing the parts, producing in effect a unitary end for the bumper, such end comprising the'outer ends 4, and 5 of the bars or plates, the cap 6, and the wedgeblock 10.

The construction disclosed herein is simple and relatively inexpensive of producor bars 4 and 5 and which when engaged by I such ends, prevents relative longitudinal movement between each cap and the plates or bars connected thereto through the longi tudinal clamping of the wedge block.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an automobile bumper, the combination, with a pair of bars or plates, of a cap adapted to receive corresponding ends of the bars or plates therewithin, the said cap being rovided with longitudinally spaced seats or each such end, a wedge block mounted in each cap between the bars or plates therein andlof less length than the distance between said seats, and a screw also mounted in each block and operatively con-' nected with the wedge block therein, said screw being adapted to force said wedge block lon itudinally and thereby tend to expand sai bars or plates between said seats.

2. In a bumper, the combination, with a pair of bars or plates, of a cap adapted to receive corresponding ends ofthe bars or platestherewithin and provided with longie 'tudinally spaced seats for-each such end, a

screw-supporting portion at its inner end.

and provided on each side of such portion with longitudinally spaced seats, a wedge block in said cap adapted to engage the end portions of the bars therein between such seats and of lesslength than the distance between said seats, and a screw mounted in such intermediate portion and operatively connected with the wedge block in said cap, said screw being adapted to move said wedge block longitudinally and thereby tend to expand said bars or plates between said seats.

4. The combinatiomwith the end portions of the front and rear bars or plates of an automobile bum er; of a cap having a central web and a s ot on each side of such web for the reception of the ends of such bars or plates, the said cap having outwardly convergent seats for the bars or plates, a

wedge block in said cap interposed between said bars or plates, and a screw mounted in the said web and operatively connected with of such bars or plates, the said cap having outwardly convergent seats for the bars or platesand a stop for the end of each bar or plate, a wedge block interposed between said bars or plates, and [means mounted in the said web and operatively connected with said block for moving the latter longitudinally of and between .the end portions of such bars or plates.

6. The combination, with the outer ends of the front and' rear bars or plate of a bumper, of a substantially V-shaped cap adapted to be placed over the ends of said bars or plates and to provide convergent seats for the same, and a wed e block in said cap and adjustable longitudinally of said bars or plates for forcing the same against their respective seats.

7. The combinatiomwith the outer ends of the front and rear bars or plates of a bumper, of a cap placed upon and over the ends of said bars or plates and having longitudinally spaced seats for at least one of said bars or lates, and means interposed between said ars or plates and engaging the portions thereof between said seats for forcin the said portions apart.

8. T e combination, with the ends of the front and rear bars or plates of a bumper,

.of a cap adapted to be placed over such ends and having seats for the front and rear faces of the said front and rear bars or plates, respectively, the said cap having an inwardly projecting nib or dowel. on the front and on the rear face thereof adapted to enter cooperating apertures rovided therefor in the front and rear p ates, re-

spectively, and means mounted'between said bars or plates within said cap and adjustable therebetween to force apart the ends of said bars or plates.

9. The combination, with the ends of the front and rear bars or plates of a bumper, of a cap placer upon and over such ends and having seats for the front and rear faces of the said front and rear bars or plates, respectively, means mounted between said bars or plates within said cap and adjustable therebetween to force apart the ends of said bars or plates between said seats, and

interenga ing means between said bars or plates and said cap to prevent relative movement therebetween;

10. The combination, 'ith the ends of the.

front and rear bars or plates of a bumper, of a cap adapted to be placed over the ends of said bars or plates and having l0ngitudinally spaced seats for at least one of said bars or plates, the said-cap being provided with an inwardly projecting nib or dowel on its front and on its rear wall each adapted to enter a cooperating aperture in the front and the rear bar or plate, respectively,

a block adju'stably mounted in said cap be-' tween said bars or plates, and means associated with said cap for so adjusting said block.

11. The combination, with the ends of the front and rear bars or plates of a bumper, ofa cap adapted to be placed over the ends of said bars or plates and having the front and the rear wall thereof provided each with inwardly projecting seats and with an in wardly projecting pin or dowel adapted vto engage an' aperture in the cooperating bar or plate, and a wedge block in said cap movable longitudinally thereof between said plates and adapted by its adjustment to force the same into engagement with said seats and to lock the said bars or plates with the said nibs or dowels. a

12. The combination with the ends of the front and rear bars or plates of a, bumper, of a cap placed upon and over the ends of said bars or plates and having the front and the rear Wall thereof provided each with inwardly projecting seats, there being interengaging means between each bar 01' plate and said cap, said means being located between the seats for each bar or plate, and a Wedge block in said cap of less length than the distance between said seats and movable longitudinally between said plates and adapted by its adjustment to force the-same into engagement with said seats and to rein der the said means operative to lock the said bars or plates to the said cap. 7

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

WAYNE E. DUNSTON. 

